Ford Wagons

[MarkWi72]

Who remembers the Ford wagons on Dagenham -Halewood services?Bright blue wagons. I once saw an N gauge wagon (Lima?) and a model train of them on a layout back in the 80s. I don't think ever saw the real ones in Service. When did they go?

 

[Gloster]

They seem to have lasted until around 1980 (or maybe a year or two later), when the traffic was transferred to the air-brake network. After that they seem to have gone into Departmental use, sometimes as barrier vans, although probably not for many years. During their period on Ford traffic the large logo was either removed or reduced in size. They also seem to have worked to Swansea later in their ‘Ford’ career: despite appearances, they were BR owned, not private owners.

 

[Taunton]

The downside of prominent branding is it makes them a spotlit target for theft while standing at various points, crew change etc, often in the middle of the night. The 1975 Watford accident, where two passenger expresses collided after one had been derailed striking goods fallen from these Ford vans, the other train pitching down the embankment, is attributed in the official report to thefts from the vehicles at Gospel Oak, interfering with the contents and leaving the van doors open, for heavy goods to later fall from them.

 

[MarkWi72]

Interesting replies, thanks folks.

 

[ChiefPlanner]

Ford increasingly went for own 30ft containers for European and some domestic flows - remember they owned their own jetty at Dagenham and made good use of Harwich Parkeston Quay - there were flows to and from Swansea , and Halewood. Several daily trains from PQ , with specials from time to time.

They used railway owned wagons from Dagenham to Bridgend , later replaced by VTG types.

 

[Cowley]

Funny this thread should pop up when I just ordered a Peco N gauge one as a present for a friend who’s into his Fords. Useful information though.

They seem to have lasted until around 1980 (or maybe a year or two later), when the traffic was transferred to the air-brake network. After that they seem to have gone into Departmental use, sometimes as barrier vans, although probably not for many years. During their period on Ford traffic the large logo was either removed or reduced in size. They also seem to have worked to Swansea later in their ‘Ford’ career: despite appearances, they were BR owned, not private owners.

Any idea when they were first used @Gloster?

 

[Gloster]

There is some slight difference between the information in the works of two of the experts, Don Rowland and David Larkin. However, taking Larkin’s most recent work as the most reliable, here is what is available on the Diagram 1/235 22 ton Pallet Vans. The very first wagon was built as an experimental Long Low wagon in 1960 or 1961, but was later converted to the prototype Ford van, probably at Ashford in 1962. All later vehicles were built at Ashford: B787023-B787097 in April to June 1963, B787348-B787394 followed in August and September 1965, and B787397-B787478 in August to December 1966. It is possible that only the first batch had the full height Ford symbol.

Edited to correct Don Rowland’s name. (First rule of (local) journalism: spell their names right.)

 

[Cowley]

There is some slight difference between the information in the works of two of the experts, Don Rolland and David Larkin. However, taking Larkin’s most recent work as the most reliable, here is what is available on the Diagram 1/235 22 ton Pallet Vans. The very first wagon was built as an experimental Long Low wagon in 1960 or 1961, but was later converted to the prototype Ford van, probably at Ashford in 1962. All later vehicles were built at Ashford: B787023-B787097 in April to June 1963, B787348-B787394 followed in August and September 1965, and B787397-B787478 in August to December 1966. It is possible that only the first batch had the full height Ford symbol.

Thanks for that. Useful stuff.